Of All the Gin Joints, In All the Towns
by frantic-daydreamer
Summary: After the worst day of her life, Bella Swan walks into a bar hoping to drown her sorrows. As bad luck would have it she meets Edward Cullen over a spilled cup of coffee. Is he Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now?


**Title: Of All the Gin Joints, In All the Towns,**

**In All the World, She Walks Into Mine.**

**Word Count: 6802**

**Rating: M**

**Pairing: Bella and Edward**

**Summary: After the worst day of her life, Bella Swan walks into a bar hoping to drown her sorrows. As bad luck would have it she meets Edward Cullen over a spilled cup of coffee. Is he Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now?**

**Winner in the "Steal My Fics" contest!**

**If you're not familiar with the contest, the idea was to steal something from 107yearoldvirgin's fanfiction efforts and use it to create a new one-shot. Not all of the words are mine, some are lifted from her stories Progress and Maybe.**

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Bella closed her eyes and enjoyed the burn of the alcohol as it poured down her throat. She was three shots into what she hoped was going to become a night of drunken obliteration. She signaled the bartender for one more. He eyed her warily, before placing a fourth in front of her.

"Four shots in 15 minutes. You must really like tequila," he commented.

"Huh," she grunted. "Does anyone really like tequila? I just want to get drunk and I figured this was the fastest route to the inevitable."

"Inevitable? Are we talking drunk or alcohol poisoning?"

Bella pounded the shot then opened one eye to stare at the bartender. The sweetest blue eyes stared back at her. She sighed.

_Adorable bartender, really? I am in no mood to be charmed._

"I've had an absolutely shiteous day and what I really want is to stop thinking about it. I figured tequila shots would get me there."

"Well, four shots will get you somewhere; most likely the floor of the bathroom. How much did you want to forget?"

"Let's see," She tapped her chin as she pretended to think it over. "a cheating boyfriend, a vindictive boss, no job, no friends, and no home." She finished with a huff and slammed her palms down on the bar. She noticed that she was attracting attention from patrons around her. Looking sheepish she asked, "Is four a lot?"

Bella startled when the bartender burst forth with a big laugh.

"Yeah." He nodded with a chuckle. "For you? Four is a lot. Have you eaten anything today?" he asked, kindly.

She pursed her lips as she tried to remember. "I had a Cobb salad for lunch."

The man relaxed, then she added, "Yesterday," and he winced.

"Well then, I think some food is in order." He held out his hand. "I'm Emmett."

She shook it with gusto. "Bella." The rocking motion of the handshake knocked her a little off balance.

"Whoa."

"Hang in there, Bella. I'll be right back." Emmett picked up a phone at the back of the bar and began to speak softly to someone on the other end.

Bella could feel the numbing effect of the alcohol kicking in as she stared at the yellow liquid in the shot glass. Her head felt heavy and she rested it on one hand. Her mind was pleasantly empty as she felt her eyelids slip shut.

Bella was unaware that across the room a man was watching her in stunned silence. He had looked up when he heard the bartender's booming voice and was captivated by what he saw there. A lovely woman with long, lush, brown hair tipped her head all the way back and swallowed a shot of…something. He checked the bottle in the bartender's hand…tequila.

_Impressive_, he thought.

He was mesmerized by the movement of her throat as she swallowed and the grip of her slender fingers on the glass. His own throat bobbed in time with hers, and his mouth grew dry. It was almost his undoing when her tongue peeked out of her mouth to swipe at the liquid left on her lips.

He was brought back to reality when a hand shoved against his shoulder.

"Hey, man where'd you go?" his brother-in-law, Jasper, asked. "I've been talking to you for the last five minutes. Did you hear any of it?"

"What? I'm sorry…what?" Edward shook his head a little to clear his thoughts.

"What has got you so interested?" Jasper wondered aloud. Following the other man's gaze his eyes found the young woman at the bar. "Oh nice. She's very pretty," he prompted.

"Pretty? She's gorgeous," Edward admonished a little breathlessly.

Jasper chuckled. It was unusual to find his friend so taken by a woman. Typically women made fools of themselves vying for his attention.

_Not that he cares very much, _Jasper thought.

Edward was not a very enthusiastic dater. He found company other than his family uninteresting, tried to avoid the women who through themselves at him, preferring to read or listen to music in his time off. He was only in the bar tonight because Jasper needed help setting up for the band.

Together they watched Emmett slide another shot on the bar.

"You'd better get over there before she's too wasted to pay you any mind." Putting his hand on Edward's shoulder, he gave another shove in the direction of the bar. Edward didn't bother protesting, he felt inescapably drawn to her. Slowly he began his approach but stopped short when his sister, Alice appeared and set a plate in front of the woman. Emmett followed with a mug of coffee.

_Damn. If Alice talks to her I'm screwed._

Sliding next to her, he quietly took a seat at the bar and watched. Up close he could appreciate the paleness of her skin in contrast to the soft flush in her cheeks. He could see the fullness of her mouth and his hands itched to reach out and run a thumb across her bottom lip. His eyes followed the soft slope of her neck to her throat where he could see the faint beating of her pulse.

_I'd like to bite that neck._

The thoughts in his head startled and confused him, but he had no desire to leave.

Bella had no idea how long she had been sitting with her eyes closed when she felt movement next to her, and heard the clanking of cutlery against wood.

Opening her eyes, she turned toward the sound.

"Uh-oh," said a voice next to her as she felt the room tilt on its axis. Two hands reached out to grasp her shoulders and keep her from slipping off the barstool and onto the floor. Bella closed her eyes and waited for her brain to stop spinning. She tentatively opened them and peered at the person holding her in her seat.

A tiny brunette girl, with a Natalie Portman post-V-for-Vendetta haircut, stared back with an impish grin on her face.

"I'm Alice," she spoke in a lilting tone. "I've brought you something to eat." She nodded toward the bar. Bella turned to see a plate of pasta, a cup of coffee and a glass of water. Emmett approached with cream and sugar, and placed it next to the coffee.

"It's my specialty, sautéed chicken and garlic pasta. Em said you haven't eaten anything and I figured the pasta would soak up some of the alcohol." The woman's face smile was so broad, Bella felt herself grinning, stupidly, back.

Lost in a tequila soaked haze, Bella couldn't form the words to a polite greeting. Alice's eyes flashed with amusement.

"And you're Bella, right?" Alice encouraged.

"Right, I'm Bella, and you're…Alice?"

"Right!" Alice exclaimed, clapping her hands. Somewhere in the back of her mind Bella wondered why this woman was so excited. She turned to face the plate on the bar. The food smelled delicious and Bella felt her stomach clench with hunger.

Alice watched with rapt attention while Bella lifted the first bite to her mouth.

Bella moaned and closed her eyes. "Yummy," she muttered, and began to eat with vigor.

Alice giggled in delight and pulled up a stool next to Bella.

"Seriously, Alice," she slurred, "This is the best thing I have ever eaten, ever….ever. Ever!"

"Thanks," Alice chirped, as she got comfortable at the bar. "So, Bella do you live around here? Why did you come to the bar tonight? Why do you want to get drunk so bad?"

The words began to run together in Bella's mind as Alice continued her rapid-fire questioning. Before she could answer a single one, Emmett appeared.

"Alright, Monchichi, give the girl a chance to digest before you get her life story," he admonished. "Bella, this is my sister, Alice. She'd love to get to know you better, but she has orders to fill in the kitchen." Turning to his sister he asked, "Don't you?"

Alice rolled her eyes and slid from the barstool. "Slave driver," she muttered before turning to Bella. "Enjoy your dinner, Bella. I'll stop back in a bit. I'd like to talk some more."

Emmett nodded at Bella and told her he'd be nearby if she needed anything. She quickly finished her meal and moved onto the coffee. It smelled good and she licked her lips in anticipation of tasting the fragrant drink. Unfortunately, her grip was weak, another side effect of four shots of tequila, and the mug handle slipped thru her fingers sloshing the burning hot liquid directly onto the front of her flimsy white shirt.

"_Ow_…I burned my_ tits_," she complained louder than she had meant to. There was a sharp intake of breath and she looked up into the most beautiful deep pools of mossy green irises she had ever seen. A man had come to sit in the empty chair beside her and was now looking at her with surprise.

He was tall and lean, with a gorgeous head of hair that instantly made her want to pull on it. Bella focused on his eyes and her heart fluttered. They were the prettiest shade of green surrounded by a brown so light it looked like butterscotch. Bella felt the hair at the back of her neck prickle, and for just a moment she imagined herself getting lost in those eyes for days…or weeks.

He said something to her that sounded like "semen."

_Semen! What the hell?_

Bella was about to snap at him for making a rude remark when the context of his words kicked in.

"See, Em," he shouted down the bar toward Emmett. "I told you that damned coffee was too hot. Now look what's happened."

_Oh, not semen, then._

The burning on her boobs was nothing compared to the new burn that was flaming up quickly through her cheeks as Bella pulled the sticky coffee laden fabric from her chest.

"Hot," she whimpered.

Beautiful-eyed man looked at her with concern.

She gave up trying to find any dignity in the situation and sighed, looking toward the ceiling with resignation.

She caught movement in the corner of her eye and turned to see the handsome man leaning over the bar and rifling around underneath. He emerged, triumphant, with a handful of clean rags, which he handed to her with a grin.

"Thanks," she said, dabbing herself with the cloth.

Before he could reply, Emmett returned with and ice pack. "Bella!" he shouted. "What have you gotten up to now? Am I going to have to cut you off already?"

"Cut me off?" she sniped. "Don't worry about it, I'm going to sue you anyway." She grabbed the ice and stuffed it down the front of her shirt, not caring that she looked like she had grown a giant third breast. She sighed with relief and looked up to find two pairs of eyes staring at her with alarm.

"Only joking," she commented meekly.

Beautiful, green-eyed man exhaled the breath he had been holding and Emmett burst out laughing, again.

"Oh Bella, so glad you decided to stop in tonight! Best laugh I've had in a week. I see you've met my brother, Edward." He gestured to Bella's companion.

_Edward?_ she pondered. _That's an old dude's name. This fine specimen of man in front of me deserved something elegant and exotic…like Fellatio._

He extended his hand to hers and when she grabbed it Bella felt a jolt of electricity that ran down her arm.

_And straight into my panties…_

"Glad to meet you," he said, grinning at her dazed expression. "Are you OK?"

She nodded slowly, enjoying the buzzing sensation coursing through her system. "I don't think I've ever felt better in my life," she said dreamily.

Emmett chuckled. "Someone write that down for when the attorney calls," he shouted out to no one in particular, and went back to serving drinks.

Bella and Edward continued to stare at one another for a long moment until she felt a cold trickle of water running down her chest and she was reminded of the mess she had made of herself. Releasing Edward's hand she began to tidy up her shirt and gather her things.

"I'm a mess. I guess I should go."

She reluctantly dropped his hand and turned to grab her purse. Laying a few bills on the bar, she looked for Emmett so she could say goodbye. A gentle hand closed around her elbow and she felt that same sensation…electricity. It coursed through her body and landed in the bottom of her stomach. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. She couldn't believe that a stranger's touch was affecting her so strongly.

"Bella, wait." His voice was silky smooth in her ear. "You're in no condition to drive and…I'd like to spend some time with you." Edward felt a little desperate. The last thing he wanted was for her to leave before he'd gotten to know anything about her.

Bella suppressed a shiver of excitement. Never before had so few words sounded so good.

_I'd like to spend some time with you._

"Wear my shirt," he improvised. "I have two." Before she could protest he pulled off his jersey and held it out to her.

Bella smiled and rolled her eyes before giving in. Making her way to the ladies room, she took a surreptitious sniff of his shirt. It was as she suspected. He smelled great; clean cotton, musky man and some kind of spicy cologne. She imagined herself curling up under his arm and being enveloped by this warm scent.

_I wonder if he's good in bed._

Shocked by her own thoughts, it didn't stop her from taking another sniff as she opened the door to the bathroom.

She got another surprise when she looked in the mirror. The stain on her shirt was nothing to the smudges of makeup under her eyes or the disheveled state of her hair. With a groan she began to search her bag for a brush and a hair tie. Pulling her hair into a ponytail, she worked on removing the errant eyeliner. Finally, she removed her blouse and tossed it into the trash. After the day she'd had she never wanted to see it again.

Edward's shirt was far too large on her small frame so she pushed up the sleeves and tied a knot in the hem, resigned to the fact that she was going to look bad, regardless.

_Still, he asked me to stay._ It gave her a thrill, and she realized she wasn't nervous. _Four shots and suddenly you've got game. Go Bella!_

When she finally emerged he was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, waiting for her.

"Afraid I'd get lost?" she asked, impressed by her own boldness.

Edward smiled shyly. "I was afraid you might leave," he admitted.

"Oh." Bella felt her cheeks burst into flames. "Well I've got nothing but time tonight." She slipped her arm through his, and allowed him to lead the way.

He led her to a small booth where he hoped they would have some privacy. From his seat he could see Jasper and Emmett talking at the bar. They were looking his way and laughing, even going so far as to point in his direction when Alice appeared.

_Oh, this can't be good._

"So, Bella," he began. "Do you come here often?"

He mentally cringed.

"Sorry that was a stupid question. Don't answer it. Can I start over?"

Before she could respond he shoved his hand out in front of him.

"Hi, I'm Edward. Welcome to Cullen's."

She delicately took his hand, and his brain faltered a bit at her touch. He squeezed her hand back a look of recognition passed between them. Edward suddenly felt nauseous and quickly pulled his hand away.

Alice watched from across the room as the two began to interact. The blush on Edward and Bella's cheeks was obvious, and she wondered what could have embarrassed them both so much, so soon. Alice rolled her eyes. "Oh, Jesus," she muttered to Jasper and Emmett. "It's already going south. I'm going in."

She made her way across the room and slipped into the booth beside Bella.

"Hi, Bella! It looks like you're feeling better. So you and Edward are hitting it off, huh?"

The couple stared at the energetic woman. Barely a word had been spoken between them since they'd clasped hands.

Alice soldiered on, determined to help her introverted brother make a connection. "Did you know that Edward is a doctor?"

Bella only shook her head. "He is! And next week he starts his fellowship in hematology."

"Wow," she finally choked out. "That's impressive, Edward. Congratulations." Bella's blush deepened.

Alice prompted her brother with a kick under the table.

"So, uh, what do you do, Bella?" he questioned.

Bella suddenly remembered her reason for coming to the bar and her heart sank.

"I'm between jobs right now," she told them. "I got fired for being too happy,"

"What kind of a job is it where they don't want you to be too happy?" Edward tried to think of something that could explain it.

_Funeral home? Infectious disease control? Fluffer?_

"Oh…uhm…I worked for a greeting card company writing children's birthday cards." Bella flushed with embarrassment.

Edward released a guffaw of laughter. "You can't be serious? You write birthday cards and they don't want you to be happy?"

She shrugged. It sounded ridiculous to her too. "I had resolved to hold out for a few more weeks, until I could find another job. At least that was my plan, until…" Bella's voice trailed off and she looked away.

Edward was on the edge of his seat. "Until," he coaxed.

"Until I walked into my boyfriend's office unannounced and found him banging the human resources director on his desk," she said in a rush.

Alice, who had been taking a sip of her drink, inhaled sharply in reaction to Bella's statement and began to cough hard. The drink had gone down her windpipe.

Bella jumped up in response, knocking the rest of Alice's drink across the table. Edward leapt out of his seat in time to avoid a lap full of soda.

Alice continued to hack with an alarming intensity.

Slightly alarmed, himself, Edward ran around the table and began to pound his sister on the back, while Bella frantically tried to clean up using her hands to push the soda to the center of the table, a tactic which failed miserably, sending most of it onto the floor.

Emmett appeared with more bar rags and mopped up the mess, a look of pure mirth on his face the entire time.

As he finished a tall, blonde women approached and appraised the scene. "Nice job, Monk. Are you actually trying to kill Alice or is this some kind of therapy you read about?"

Edward rolled his eyes and helped his sister back into her seat. "She was choking on soda," he explained, in exasperation.

Emmett leaned to whisper something in her ear. The woman's eyes narrowed and a knowing smirk formed on her face. She pulled up a chair to the end of the booth and trained her eyes on Bella.

_Fuck,_ Edward groaned inwardly. _This will not end well._

"So, Bella. What brings you to my husband's bar tonight?"

Alice saw the dear-in-the-headlights look in Bella's eyes and jumped in. "Bella, this is Emmett's wife, Rosalie." Turning to her sister-in-law Alice explained, "Bella was just telling us that she got fired after she caught her boyfriend in flagrante delicto with a co-worker."

"Whoa, Bella that sucks giant donkey balls. When did it happen?"

"Yesterday." Bella's eyes grew watery as she continued, "But they fired me today. He didn't come home last night and this morning I received an email stating that my attitude showed a 'lack of serious dedication to my work and an inability to represent company standards in an appropriate way.' There were security guards waiting to escort me out."

Bella looked away as she tried to control her emotions. There was no way she wanted to shed any more tears over the asshole she used to call her boyfriend.

"I sat in a Starbucks for a few hours and then decided to get drunk, so here I am."

She tried to keep my composure as she told them she had nowhere to go. That her erstwhile boyfriend had kicked her out of their apartment, and she had no recourse since his name was on the lease. She couldn't drive home and she had no room. She was kind of screwed.

Edward felt an overwhelming urge to protect her. Clasping both of her hands he leaned forward to reassure her.

"You'll stay in my room, then. It's huge and the bedroom is private. I can sleep on the couch. You aren't driving and you're definitely not hanging around the bar by yourself until you can."

Bella reddened and looked away. She was not used to relying on kindness from others, and was reluctant to make herself vulnerable to someone she was so attracted to, but unlikely to see again.

_It's not like you have a lot of options here, girl._

Taking a deep breath she turned back to Edward and accepted his offer. "But I'll be out of your hair first thing in the morning. I promise."

Edward laughed. He didn't care if she ever wanted to leave. He looked into her eyes. "Stay as long as you'd like. I'm at your service."

Bella's mind went blank for a moment. His eyes were so intense. She couldn't look away.

"OK," she finally squeaked.

Alice looked on in appalled disbelief. Any other man would have had Bella begging for sex by now.

_No wonder he never gets any. Give my brother a beautiful drunk woman looking to blow off a little steam and he turns into a one-man Red Cross._

She stuck her head out of the booth and mouthed a frantic "help" to her husband. When she turned around Edward was offering Bella his pajamas. Alice rolled her eyes.

_Way to close the deal, Monk._

"Wait," she shouted as they rose to leave. "Bella, I want you to meet my husband. He'll be over in just a sec."

Alice shot a desperate look over her shoulder and was relieved to see Jasper approach with a tray of drinks.

"Hey, Monk, I heard you needed to get lubricated, so I brought drinks."

Edward's eyes bugged out.

"I…uh," he stuttered. "Emmett told me Bella wanted to get good and hammered-"

"Jas!" Alice interrupted. She smiled sweetly at Bella and introduced her husband while handing out the glasses. "Let's have a toast. To new friends," she began, lifting her drink.

"And inappropriate, erotic acts in dark, cramped places," Jasper blurted out his customary toast.

Alice merely shook her head. Subtle he wasn't.

They made small talk for a few minutes. When the conversation waned Edward took the opportunity to get Bella alone and suggested they leave. Unfortunately for Edward, his family wasn't done with him. He looked up to see a familiar head of blond hair bobbing in agreement next to Emmett at the bar. It was his father, Carlisle.

_Dear, God! What now?_

Carlisle slid into the booth next to Alice, and rubbed his hands together with enthusiasm. His eyes shone with undisguised glee. "So, I hear we're getting Monk laid."

Edward laid his forehead on the table. "Dad," he moaned.

Jasper nodded toward Bella. "Uh, Carlisle, meet Bella."

Carlisle offered a half-hearted apology and shook Bella's hand. "Nice to meet you, Bella. Are you the woman we're setting up with my son?"

Bella suddenly understood why Edward's family seemed so interested in making her stay. This was some kind of set-up. She would have felt intensely embarrassed if Edward hadn't chosen that moment to slip his leg between hers and begin to rub back and forth. For such a chaste gesture it enflamed her and she found herself wiggling in her seat. Glancing across the table she saw Edward talking to Jasper, a picture of innocence.

Oh you sneaky…

With determination Bella slipped off her shoe and ran her toe up Edward's calf. She watched a smile grow on his face, but still he didn't look at her. Then she took a deep breath and rubbed her foot along the zipper of his pants.

He practically jumped out of his seat.

She bit back a laugh and pressed a little harder. She could feel him lengthen and harden under her touch, and she felt a little proud. She had never done something so bold, and resolved to drink tequila more often if this was the kind of thing that was going to happen to her.

"So, Dad," Edward rasped. "What brings you all the way to Seattle tonight?" Edward's parents lived in a small town a few hours from the city.

"Oh, your mother had some girls-night-out event with the Junior League and I decided to ride along. Then I heard Monk had a girl on the hook, and I just had to stop in to see you all," he told them.

Even Bella was embarrassed now. The entire family seemed bent on humiliating Edward tonight.

Changing the subject she turned to him and asked, "Why do they call you Monk? Are you religious?"

Emmett laughed. "Not, monk, like a priest, Bella. "M-U-N-C-H, like the artist."

All at once, the entire group smacked their hands on their cheeks and opened their mouths in perfect imitation of Edvard Munch's famous painting, "The Scream," then dissolved into laughter.

"He's the most angst-ridden man we know," Jasper offered, still laughing.

Edward looked mortified and she couldn't blame him, but at the very least, they weren't talking about her troubles anymore. Hoping to reassure him, she grasped his knee under the table and gave a gentle squeeze. In response, he clasped her other hand and brought it to his lips.

Bella's felt another rush of pleasure. She wondered if she would ever get some time alone with this man.

After what seemed like hours Edward's family members had all drifted off leaving them alone at the table.

Edward leaned in. "Listen, my apartment's upstairs. It's much quieter. Uhm…do you wanna?" He pointed to the back of the bar.

"Do I wanna?" Bella muttered.

_Take you into a small room and rip your pants off? Yes, please._

"Well," he slowly drawled, "we can leave it open ended, but let's start with a pajamas and maybe a midnight snack."

Bella closed her eyes in mortification. She had spoken her thoughts aloud.

"Please, Bella." he said and reached out with an open hand. Bella noticed his fingers tremble a bit.

"Edward?" She felt so confused by the emotion passing between them.

It was Edward's turn to stare, his thoughts flying all over the place. It felt so incredibly wrong to want her this way, but there was a burn and tightness in his chest that he just couldn't ignore.

Thankfully, she grabbed his hand. He felt his breath release with a huff as he turned to lead her out of the smoky room. The electricity was back and it flowed between them like a completed circuit. He opened a door at the back and pulled her into a darkened hallway. The coolness and quiet was welcome relief, and they stood, quietly at the bottom of the stairs.

Edward couldn't stand not knowing what she was thinking.

_Does she feel it too?_

With one finger under her chin he tipped her face up to look at him. In the dim light he could see the want in her eyes.

_She does._

With a groan he pressed his body the length of hers, and captured her lips in his. He wanted to be rough and aggressive. He wanted some release for the tension he had been feeling since Bella walked in the door. He had been waiting for his moment all night, and now he had it. But when his mouth touched hers every bone in his body liquefied. Her touch was like walking under a warm waterfall, like taking a bath in melted chocolate, and when her tongue reached out to flick his lip he was boneless…enervated. Only by grabbing her shoulders for support was he able to stay on his feet.

She placed her hands on either side of his face. Without breaking their kiss she led him further down the hall.

In her haste, Bella had forgotten there were stairs to negotiate, and when her heel hit the first riser, taking her by surprise, she tripped and sat down hard. Still holding Edward's face, she pulled him down with her, knocking their foreheads together with a thunk.

"Shit!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry," she muttered rubbing her forehead.

He laughed at her forlorn expression, and hoisted her up by one hand. "C'mon, let's go up."

He led her to his apartment and unlocked the door. He briefly imagined himself carrying her over the threshold, but put that thought out of his mind as he escorted her inside. They toured the flat together. He showed her where the bathroom and bedroom were, then dug around his dresser for something small enough for her to wear.

He turned before leaving her to change. "I meant what I said, you're welcome here as long as you wish. I'm going to make something to eat. Join me, if you want."

When he was gone, Bella changed her clothes and lay across the bed. It had certainly been the strangest day of her life and she was exhausted. Edward's family was the most enthusiastic group of people she had ever met, and their aggressive matchmaking was slightly off-putting.

_Still,_ she thought. _I don't feel uncomfortable._

On the contrary, they obviously cared a great deal about each other and made Bella feel welcome and accepted into their group. She couldn't deny that she was wildly attracted to Edward, and that maybe their antics did help, in some way, to bring her here tonight. It was certainly welcome distraction from the way her day had begun.

_But I'm leaving in the morning,_ she realized, with disappointment.

The weight of her day began to press and her eyes slipped closed. When Edward knocked a few minutes later she was fast asleep. He couldn't deny that he was disappointed. He could see that she needed to sleep and he conceded that his expectations may have been a bit unrealistic, all things considered.

He covered her with a blanket and made himself comfortable on the sofa.

A few hours later, Bella woke up in a dark and unfamiliar place. She blinked hard and tried to see the room around her. She could make out her clothes in a folded pile at the end of the bed. She remembered changing into the clothes Edward gave her.

_Edward._

It all came rushing back. She had met his crazy family in a bar and now she was sleeping in Edward's apartment.

As soon as her head made sense of it her body responded to the memory of his touch.

And his eyes and his hair and oh, God, he smelled so good!

Now she was wide awake, and ridiculously aroused. She briefly considered taking matters into her own hands, so to speak. Then she realized that there was a gorgeous, sexy man asleep right outside her door and she decided that she might as well take a chance.

"Edward," she whispered into the dark. "I can't sleep."

"Neither can I," he whispered back. "C'mere." He opened the covers and invited her in with a nod.

She felt a thrill of excitement and tip toed across the room. She slipped under the blankets and turned to face him, resting one hand on his chest. He brought his arm around, pulling her close. He found that she fit perfectly tucked into the space under his chin.

"Your heart is pounding," she remarked.

Edward was silent while he tried to accustom himself to the feeling of her hand on his bare skin.

Finally, his voice rasped in the darkness, "For you, I think. I've been laying here imagining you asleep in my bed. It's been driving me crazy."

He buried his nose in her hair before he continued.

"Bella, I don't think I can hold you like this without…" his voice trailed off as he struggled over his words.

"Without?"

"Without touching you…more."

Suddenly, she grabbed his hair with both hands and kissed him hard, tangling her legs with his until she was as close to him as she could be.

"Oh! Edward! Yes!" she said between kisses.

After long moments of frantic kisses he pulled back to look her in the eye.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes."

"And you're positive it's over with your boyfriend?"

"Tomorrow I'm getting my things and heading home." Her eyes flicked between his eyes and his mouth while she weighed her words. "Can we just have this one night?"

"What if I don't want one night?"

Bella's heart fluttered in her chest. "You want that? You'd wait for me?"

He groaned and attacked her neck with his mouth. "Yes. God, yes."

Words were not enough after that. Each tried to show the other how much this moment meant with wet tongues and hot hands. They had been teased and tortured, and restraint was no longer an option.

He moved his mouth across her neck, leaving hot, wet kisses behind until his lips found the point that had so tantalized him earlier. With a moan he licked and sucked there until her hips were raising off the cushions and her own moans echoed across the room.

"Edward, please," she begged, and pushed his shoulders back. He sat back on his heels and she quickly wriggled out of her shirt and boxers. Leaning forward, she grabbed the waistband of his lounge pants and made to pull them down, but his hands stopped her, and gently pushed her back onto the sofa.

His eyes washed over her and there was a reverence there that took her breath away. Reaching out with both hands, he slid his fingertips across her shoulders and down her chest. His touch was delicate and it sent delicious shivers through her body. Stopping at her breasts he cupped them in his hands, running a thumb across each nipple.

"So beautiful," he mumbled to himself.

The tension in her body was overwhelming, and she writhed under his touch.

"Edward," she begged, and thrust her hips toward him.

But he wouldn't be rushed.

Bending over, he brushed his lips across her ribs and down toward her hip. He nuzzled the sensitive spot where her leg met her hip, leaving a gentle bite behind. She reached out and tried to push his mouth back, but he would not be budged. He wanted to tease her until she was on fire and begging for more.

He continued to kiss down her leg, caressing her with his lips, biting her skin and nuzzling with his nose. When he reached her foot he sucked on her ankle making her giggle.

She loved it.

She was more aroused than she could ever remember being. She felt cherished and beautiful and damn, she just wanted to get on with it already.

She began to twist under him until he put her foot down.

_Finally._

With a smirk, he picked up the other leg and began his ministrations again. Bella almost exploded with frustration.

"Enough, Edward! I want your cock!" Bella froze, her mouth a circle of surprise.

He stopped kissing her, his mouth still on her ankle. When he didn't move Bella started to rapidly backpedal.

"God, I'm sorry!"

"I didn't mean it!"

"I don't know what came over me. It just feels so good."

Edward slowly placed her leg down on the cushion. Standing, he slipped his pants off and stepped out of them, settling back between her knees. Bella continued to babble; so distraught she hardly noticed that he was now naked and hovering over her.

When she felt the head of his cock tap her clitoris she stopped talking. The silence was broken by her moan, when he began to slide up and down against the tender skin between her legs.

"Is this what you want?" he growled in her ear. She nodded, frantic with want.

"Oh, Bella I think you can do better than that. You weren't so quiet a minute ago. You have to tell me. What do you want from me?" he demanded as he continued the torturous friction.

Bella released a high, keening wail. "You!" she cried. "I want you…inside me. Now!"

"All you had to do was ask." She could feel him smile against her neck, and she smiled too.

He shifted his hips and slid into her body, and they were speechless together.

He began to move.

It was amazing. Edward was overwhelmed by that same feeling of warmth and welcome he had felt the first time they kissed. It was like coming in from the cold or sinking into a hot spring. She enveloped his every sense.

On the other hand, Bella felt as though she were clinging to a live wire. She grasped his back and dug into his skin with her nails, holding on for dear life, as more sensation than she had ever experienced coursed through her body. Her heels desperately pushed into his waist and pressed him deeper.

He loved it.

He gave her more without being asked. He pumped hard and faster, and when she began to cry out, it only urged him on.

"Edward!"

Hearing his name; knowing it was him that caused her shouts, made him feel powerful and capable, and he didn't care if he ever climaxed as long as he could still feel that way.

"Please, please, please, please," she begged into the dark, and suddenly he could barely contain himself.

"Bella I…I can't wait. Oh, God, Bella."

The need in his voice as he said her name caused the tension in her stomach to snap, and send vibrations surging through her body.

She shouted his name again and again, overcome and overwhelmed. A few moments later he joined her, his climax pushing him over the edge making his head spin and his own voice cry out wordless sounds.

She gripped him tighter until he stopped shuddering, whispering sweet words in his ear. Finally, he pulled back to look at her face. She met his look with a wide smile that deepened his own pleasure.

"Holy shit!" he mouthed and she giggled.

"No kidding," she whispered back.

He kissed her, soundly, and curled up around her. In a few moments, she felt his breathing slow and even out. He was asleep.

Bella was still awake as the sky lightened, worrying over what she could do to keep from losing this man she had just found.

After weighing all her options, she carefully eased from under him. Placing a kiss on his temple she made her way to the shower.

Sunlight was streaming in the windows when Edward awoke with a start. He lay quietly for a moment. Not hearing any sound in the apartment, he called out for her, but there was no answer.

Knowing she was gone, he still searched the small apartment, hoping to find her.

His eyes finally found a note taped to the inside of his door. With trepidation he opened it and began to read.

_Dear Edward,_

_Last night was the most amazing night of my life._

_You somehow managed to turn the worst day into_

_the very best of days, and it will live in my memory_

_forever._

_As you know, I have some things to take care of before_

_I can come back to you. You said that you would wait,_

_and I hope that you will, but I'll understand if you don't._

_Know that I'll be thinking of you every moment until_

_I can see you again._

Bella

Edward was numb. He had let her get away before telling her his plans. He thought he would have more time.

"Fuck!" he shouted, and threw himself down on the couch. He was immediately enveloped in her scent and he was assaulted by the memory of his one perfect night. In that moment he resolved that he wasn't going to be the Munch that his family portrayed him to be any more.

Throwing on his clothes, he grabbed his keys and ran down the stairs calling for his brother. He knew there was no way he could turn back now. No way he could ever give her up.

Now all he had to do was find her and bring her back.

* * *

**Thanks to my good friend Malena, MSSL for her pre-reading comments and suggestions for a second chapter!**

**I have a second chapter, is anyone interested, or should it stand alone?**

**http: / www . fanfiction . net/u/2374513/ Steal_My_Fics_One_Shot_Contest**


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